The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-01-27
TOBACCO CULTURE.
Practical Suggestions from a
Practical man.
Something for the Tobacco Planter to
Read and Ponder.
1Danyille Register. |

Read and Ponder.
[Danville Register.l
AS promised ins my letter of the 9th
instant, | now submit some views for
the relief Of the tobacco growers of the
country and especially of Virginia and
North Carolina. l stated that the
country was overstocked with tobacco,
and that prices were ruinous to the
producer; the evidence in support of
this statement has daily accumulated,
and the price of all tobacco, except
choice selections of bright cutters and
smokers, is constantly on the decline.
| 1t is claimed by some, that our
only hope is to abandon the cultiva-
ton of tobacco altogether until prices
advance. Some sections not adapted
to the growth of fine tobacco, were
induced by the high prices prevailing
few years ago to abandon their
staple crops and grow tobacco. These
sections should, and doubtless will,
quit it entirely, but ne cannot; our
climate, and much of our soil will
produce no other crop with any hope
of profitable return. Tobacco is our
chief reliance, and let come what may
we must stick to it. 1t is our staple
crop, we have been brought up to it,
and know how to cultivate and handle
it. If we will give our time and
thoughts to making it fine, and stop
making any other kind, we can hold
out longer and make more by its
cultivation than any other part of the
country can, and more than we can
make at anything else, but we injure
our section and degrade our calling
and the standard of excellence of our
products, when we allow common
tobacco to be raised on our lands, and
this we must stop.
Some people say it is the season that
makes the crop fine or poor. 10 dis
prove this some farmers make fine
crops every year. A good season
makes it easy and a bad one makes it
hard to raise fine tobacco. Many of
our farmers will take it easy no mat
ter what happens, and such people in
this as in all other callings often fail.
1t is only the dligent and uhceasing
effort that overcomes difficulties and
commands success in anything. 1t
might as well be claimed that the
skilful mechanic should abandon his
trade because of the competition OF
the jack leg, as that the people of this
section should stop raising tobacco
because the cotton, grain, grass and
stock-raisers have adopted it. 1t is
this latter class that must stop and not
we. Therefore we must make greater
efforts and use more skill in its cult
vation and hold on to tobacco as our
chief money crop.
So far SO good, says the reader, but
how is the relief TO come? Well 1t
begins here. Is the farmer of this
section willing to pledge himself that
he will transfer his meat-house, corn
crib, wheat field and hay ricks from
F the great northwest to his own farm!
Will he agree to plant next year and
properly cultivate corn, oats, grass anc
clover; raise hogs, sheep and cattle
enough to supply his own wants anc
leave him some of each to spare? Viii
he and his family agree to wear thei
e old clothes, and stop buying every
+ thing except the actual necessaries O
life? Will he pledge himself to stoI
running around to all the countr,
| stores within his reach, and to remair
at home and attend to his own busi
ness until he is able to pay his debt
= and buy for cash? Moreover, will h.
. agree to plant not more than one-hal
his usual crop of tobacco, and t.
II select with the greatest possible car
the best land he has for growing rea
5 tine tobacco, cultivate, cure and handl
}, that in the best possible manner, an'
i by the use of tobacco stalks, straw an'
forest leaves, to raise at least one-hal
i the manure required for his tobaCc
r crop, and only buy or use one-fourt
Lhis usual quantity of commercia
: fertilizers? Now, if the farmers c
this section will agree to these con
y ditions, | feel confident their cred itor
borth for fertilizers and supplies, wi
Il grant them the necessary indulgenc
d to hold their crop of tobacco mad
this year, and allow them to reap til
benefit of the advance that will neces
b sarily follow the planting of ha
2. crop next year.
r. All the farmers Of this section ca
~ strip their crop and store it in barr
that have good flues, where it can /
- kept safe and sound until next sun
= mer, when there will be an active d.
mand for it at good prices. By holt
r, ing the new. the old tobacco will fin
= its wav into use at prices that will pa
or the manufacturer and dealer reason
It. able profit, and the farmer, the ma
at who is entitled to it above all other
will oct the advance on the crop